Someday
by brierlynn03
Summary: I watch the love of my life fall apart. I can't do anything about it. While I am the most powerful man in the Tribe, I can't be there for her. Loosely based on the song Someday by Nickelback. A series of love letters over several years. For the sake of this story Jacob and Bella were born months, not years apart. Commander In Chief Contest Winner Of The Foreign Affairs Award.


Someday

Commander In Chief Contest contestant and winner of The Foreign Affairs Award Best Non-Cannon entry! Thank you to all who voted and those of you who read, commented, and followed on my little story!

Thank you EdwardsFirstKiss, Jadiona, and bnutter for your tireless effort in making this story as wonderful as it is. I hope you all enjoy this!

Betas and Prereaders:

EdwardsFirstKiss, Jadiona, and bnutter

Summary:

I watch the love of my life fall apart. I can't do anything about it. While I am the most powerful man in the Tribe, I can't be there for her. Loosely based on the song Someday by Nickelback. A series of love letters over several years. For the sake of this story Jacob and Bella were born months, not years apart.

Pairing:

Jacob and Bella

Rated:

T

Word Count:

6847

Disclaimer:

All things Twilight belong solely to Stephanie Meyer. The song Someday belongs to Nickelback. No copyright infringement is intended.

2019

My Dearest Isabella:

Someday. That's what I kept saying to myself. Someday I would be able to love you and provide for you and our family in the way that you all need. I just needed to get to the next step. Make more money so you could stay at home with our little family. The family you wanted with me. I didn't see it. Well, I can't say I didn't. I see it now. Now that it's too late.

My beautiful girl. My reason for existing. The reason I breathe and my heart beats. The reason my heart will stop. Soon. All too soon.

Isabella Marie Swan, you stumbled into my life when we were kids. Beautiful brown eyes full of life, love, and innocence; long brown hair the color of chocolate. The world stopped when we first met. When you started to fall, I caught you and my heart has beaten for you and only you ever since. You have always been my love. My life. I was your sun- and true happy place; the warmth in the coldest of winter days. You were my everything; the moon and stars to guide me through life.

We were always best friends, attached at the hip growing up. Each of us knew what the other needed. When your parents divorced, my world was destroyed for the first time. When you left with your mother, Renee (who tricked you into leaving) told you that she was going to visit her parents in California. Little did we know, Forks would change. Not for the better. When you returned to Forks for about eight years to stay, it was the happiest day at that point of my life. When my love came back, I vowed to never let you go. But, in my drive to make a life for us and our futures, I drove you away. And that kills me.

For as long as I can remember, I have worked on cars of all models. I wanted to own my own state-of-the-art mechanic's shop, but didn't have the money. In my mind, I wanted us to have as close to no debt as possible. I wanted to save as much money as I could to buy us a house and start my business so I would be able to provide for you; for our family. I knew you wanted like twenty kids. I would give you as many as you wanted; anything to see my favorite smile. I worked hard and finished high school early so I could take classes in automotive care, but Old Man Downey wouldn't pay a fair wage. So, three more than capable mechanics decided to join the Marines. Three mechanics made memories and friends with people from all over the world. It was hell on earth being away from you, from our home. Our growing family. But you graciously saved the extra pay I received from being deployed for our future. Thankfully, our Dad's allowed you to stay rent-free with them. You kindly took care of both of our Dads in return. Making sure they are well and were taking care of themselves. They had clean homes and clothes. Healthy meals prepared for them. A pure gift I never thanked you enough for. My Father lived many years longer than was expected because of your care and love. And I never thanked you for it.

You gave up your dreams of being a teacher so I could follow my dreams. You took a job at the Recreation Center on the Res. You didn't make much money but still worked with the youth you wanted to teach. You made our families and me proud of you. Your love for each person you met made was legendary. Calm, peaceful, full of love and life; such a wonderful future wife of the next Chief of the Tribe. You won the hearts and love of the Tribe, and encouraged the youth to learn the old ways to be proud of those who came before us. The classes that you started quickly filled. Many others came from neighboring communities to learn the way of the Quileute.

One of the worst days of my life was the day I was informed that you, Charlie and my Dad had been in an accident. Quil and Embry were there with me. I about died from grief; having heard that you were in the ICU, made me sick. I was sent home with Quil and Embry, who's Moms were involved. Thankfully we were due home in a few days anyway. A drunk and stoned driver nearly took out my house. The house that I grew up in; on the land that our home was going to be built upon. Just down the road from my Dad. I saw my dreams crash around me. This was the second time my world had destroyed. In time, thanks to Taha Aki and the Spirit Warriors, you woke up, as did Charlie, Joy, Tiffany, and Billy. You each needed assistance to relearn things. It was a miracle everyone survived. With that, my dreams of owning an auto shop died. Why I wanted to wait to make you mine as my wife. I have no idea.

My heart has been pounding as I carried the ring that I had for you. The ring I found at a small shop when I was deployed. I was not looking for a ring but it was too perfect to pass up. It's a simple thin band of white gold with a small heart-shaped ruby. I love it since it shows that you have my heart. It came with the option of a simple band. I bought that as well, knowing if you wanted something different I would get it. But I wanted you to have a matched set. I bought the matching band for myself, simple and plain. I knew that as soon as I was back in the States, I would try to marry you as soon as possible. Looking at your sleeping form, I realize that we'd be waiting until you are better. I'd have married you here in the hospital if it was what you wanted. I'd do anything you want or so I had thought.

I split my time between Charlie, Billy, Tiffany, and Joy, but spend most of it with you, my Bella. I barely leave the hospital other than to eat. I sleep next to the most beautiful angel of my life. I pray more than I had ever prayed in my life and that's saying something because I was in an active war zone. I could have easily had my family taken away from me. Charlie, not only is he your Dad, but raised me like I were his son and- Joy and Tiffany were both adoptive Moms to me. The worst for me we you. While you were in a coma, I aged at least 10 years. I hated every minute of it. Bruised and battered, torn and scared. My perfect princess is still perfect in my eyes' scars and all. I kissed each and every one of them as you slept.

There were a father and two sons' medical team that took care of the family. They seemed to know everyone including you. The Cullen's were always checking on you, Billy, and Charlie especially. Mrs. Cullen wanted to make Embry, Quil, and I food. It made me feel uncomfortable. The younger son, Edward would come at times and sit with you. He always looked pained when he saw you. His brother Emmett and Father Carlisle could hide it better. It would bother me so much because you are my girl. Not his. His brother Emmett came and checked on you when Edward was with you when I had been getting food. I overheard them when I came back. Edward was sobbing over you. Barely able to breathe. It made me angry until Carlisle came behind me and stopped me from going in. He explained that Edward and his family had become close to both you and our families because of your work at the community center. It was well known that you were off limits, and that half of your heart and family were fighting for us in another county. You were the future wife of the future chief of the Quileute's. You never told them where I was other than you were proud of me. Edward became close to you and loved you. But always respected our relationship. Edward understood that I was a responsible man who wouldn't leave my responsibilities behind without good cause. Or Edward would have killed me on site had that not been the case. Carlisle told me that both Edward and Emmett were like big brothers to you since I had left. Esme, the wife and mother, started taking classes at the recreation center and introduced everyone. Then Emmett and his wife Rosalie along with their kids Emerson and Lillian, started taking classes; as did Carlisle. Last was Edward. After Edward, started coming to the rec center, you and he became best friends. You went on many outings with his wife Tanya and their kids, twins Matthew and Anthony, as well as Annabelle, and Elizabeth. Carlisle's daughter Alice also became good friends with you. Her husband Jasper Whitlock and son Jesse spent a lot of time with you. I started to feel bad that you never told me this, and that I had assumed that he wanted more of you than it seemed he did. Edward is loyal to a fault. Which includes making sure you were okay. You went to family dinners with our fathers. This family took care of you when I couldn't. What kind of man am I? I willingly took every tour I could for the extra pay. I came home when I was able to but it wasn't enough.

I never realized your strength until I broke down in Carlisle's arms. Crying like a baby for the time we had missed and would never get back; all because I was worried about money when you never were. You just wanted me to be happy. You wanted me to be with you. You wanted me home and free. Free of the military. Free to be with you and our families. Free to start our family. Free to fight with each other and makeup.

I hated making you cry. While you were strong, you still had your weak moments like most people. It made me love you more. Hearing about different times that you were lonely and needed a shoulder to cry on made me lose it. How could I love you and do this to you? The obstacles you faced were more than most would stay around for; possibly myself included. This shows me the perfect angel that you have been to me.

My Bella. I will never be able to say how sorry I am for my actions. How sorry I am for leaving you alone to deal with responsibilities when I should have been home. You learned from Billy how to run the Tribe. I didn't. I should have been learning how to tell the stories and teach the old ways to our youth. I should have asked you to be my wife sooner. Looking back, I thought that having a debt-free life was the way to go. Little did I know what that would cost me? It cost me too much.

Today, I am most likely going to have to say goodbye to my Chief; my Father. Sadly, he has taken a turn for the worse and I need to be with him. Little did we realize that the accident was a blessing? It made me come home and deal with everything I had been neglecting while I was gone. Sadly, as you know, he was diagnosed with lung cancer. The years of smoking and alcohol abuse did a number on his body as well as not treating his diabetes the way he should have prior to you taking care of him. I've missed out on the years I could have had if I had not been too busy at war playing with toys. Of course, my line of work was not without danger. Being anywhere in that desert was a death sentence; especially if you met the wrong folks. I have seen too many close calls during my days in that desert of despair.

I changed during my time there. My sunny disposition that you loved so much left. My ability to always make people smile lessened. I am a shattered man; a man who can't talk to my love about it. I don't want you to hate me for what I have done. I hate myself most days. Someday... Someday I will be the man you need me to be. I will be the Chief to the people of my Tribe. The man that both my father and yours would be proud of; a man worthy of you. I love you Isabella. I want you to be mine more than you know. But I don't know how to do this anymore.

Someday somehow. I'm going to make it alright but not right now. I know you're wondering when.

Until then I understand if you need to leave me. You deserve better. After all, I put us through.

I love you more than my own life-

Jacob

2019 Part Two

Dear Isabella:

Dad has gone to be a Spirit Warrior in the sky. I know you haven't received my last letter yet. I needed to add to it, now that I am the Quileute Chief. Having you here with me through this process is more than I could ask. I am grateful for each hug, and word of support you have given me. You are graceful, loving, caring and supportive. You knew this was coming and already had all Dad's funeral and send off arranged with both him and the funeral home. When you did this, I had no idea. I found several letters and diaries of Dad's and former Chiefs before him. It is my job to read them now. I am reading on a day that I was deployed, and you two were talking. There were a lot of conflicts where I was in Afghanistan. Several of my brothers in arms lost their battles in the fights that happened. Including a Forks boy named Eric Yorkie. That had almost been me.

He took the bullet that was meant for me. He died so I could come home to you. As he lay dying, he told me to take care of you. He said to love you as he did; with all my heart and soul, and to not name my first born after him. I laughed. He had always had a crush on you and loved you. He loved the way you never treated him with anything other than respect. You always had a smile for him and would write to him when it was allowed. As you did with Embry, Quil, and me. Those letters were some of his most prized possessions. After he died, I was given them to read before they were sent back to you. Reading them made me love you more.

He was just a casual friend but your love and concern could be felt from across the world. It was hard to read your discussion about his estate and health care concerns. He was just your friend. Yet, you had been given legal and medical power of attorney over him. You accepted gladly. Saying you would never need any of that. His parents disowned him before he left for basic. All his friends except Angela and you walked away as well. I knew you were friends with. But I never thought he would love you enough to die for me so I could go home to you. It was that day that I decided to come home at the next chance I had and never come back to the desert.

I read the journal entries of the day the Service Alphas came to your door to notify you of Eric's passing. Both you and Dad had thought that it was me. While Dad was troubled at our friends passing, he was grateful that it hadn't been me. He wrote in the journals that the tribe had a new member in Frederick "Eric" Caleb Yorkie and that he was now a full blooded Spirit Warrior. And he was happy to call him a son. He was given a Warrior's burial. You know this. You were there. The whole Tribe was there to support the man who died to save their future Chief. His death wasn't in vain. I will do whatever it takes to make his sacrifice worth it. I will love you the way you need to be loved. I will lead our people the way they need to be led. But, I don't know if I can do that today. Not without you.

Someday. Somehow. I'm going to make it alright but not right now. I know you're wondering when. And I wish I could tell you.

Please don't leave me. Please be patient with me. You are my world. My life. My home.

All my love-

Jacob

2020

My Bella:

Sometimes, things start to come into focus in the way things start to form a new kind of normal. Even though I never wanted to be Chief this young in life, I was grateful that you were able to learn from Dad about the ways of my people. I wished I could have been with you. I was grateful for the Cullen family. It seemed that Edward and his family all participated in the lessons and were willing to help teach them with you. How sad is it that these classes originally were being taught by non-Quileute's? To me, it is a true testimony of how our parents taught us; or should I say didn't teach us? Thankfully with Dad's passing, people have been opening up to their past. They wanted to learn the language of our people. They want to learn our old ways. We were whalers and fishermen. We grew our own food. We hunted our own meat. We were not meant to rely on others to survive. There are some that have no options, but I had planned to try to make more jobs on the Res. Putting the people first.

I started to think about how we could make our Tribe better. Nothing was going to be cheap or easy. But in the long term, I thought it would be worth it. I was right; in many ways.

We encouraged as many people that we could to have gardens on their lands. Most were more than willing to do it. There were canning and cooking classes. We learned how dress the game we hunted. Learned how to bake own loaves of bread and make spices. We planted fruit trees everywhere. Many people were given cows, chickens, pigs, and sheep. We had fresh milk, eggs, meat, and wool. People learned to make yarn and blankets, mittens, scarves, hats and other items for their homes. We helped to remodel several of the homes bringing them up to code. It truly was a time for change and prosperity.

We became a more proud Tribe. More of the Tribes people spoke our language with pride. It was taught in school. Families started speaking it at home as well as English. There was a shift in that English was no longer the first spoken language. It was quite the adjustment, but most of the people of Forks were welcoming of the change and many learned and taught their own children. You were so proud of me. I was honestly proud of us.

It wasn't just me who had done this. It was all of us. It was your friendship with the large Cullen family that gave me several ideas. They became honorary Quileute's themselves. Not many people were more willing to help than they were along with your Dad, Charlie. I will be forever be grateful for Charlie and the role that he played in our lives. He did well in raising my beautiful woman. I'm grateful that you have more of Charlie's personality than Renee's. Renee was scatterbrained. To the max. I don't know how it was possible that you were born and living alone with her as long as you did being that you are like Charlie. I will never know but am forever grateful.

Through all this, you smiled and gave me encouragement that meant everything to me. I kept taking it. Never giving. Never thanking. You stand by me even still. I have been selfish. The worst part is that I would get jealous of the relationships you had with others in the community when I should not have been. I see that now. I see that I was an asshole. You deserved better. I just couldn't see you as the shy and sweet girl I left behind to serve our country. Now you are a beautiful woman who can take care of herself. One who could rally a community to her bidding without a problem. While they rallied around you, they seemed to have forgotten that I was the Chief. Old Quil told me that my Dad was grooming you to be the Chief in case something happened to Dad or me. So the Tribe would have a leader. He was brilliant. Since you were with him many hours taking care of him, he and Old Quil taught you the old ways, traditions, and stories. The language. Our pride. You were adopted by Dad and Old Quil into the Tribe. It didn't make sense until Quil said it was so I could marry you someday. And if I didn't marry you, you would be a Black by adoption in the Tribe, in case something happened to me while I was away. You would still be Swan, except in Tribal business until you married unless you wanted to change your name.

I still had not asked you to marry me six months later. I swear my intentions were to make you my wife by now. I know now that you were starting to think that I didn't love you. That is the farthest thing from the truth. You are and were my life. I was dealing with my own insecurities. Charlie kept looking at me funny. Edward started to be around more, as was Emmett. Quil and Embry were not happy with me. Here I had the perfect woman, and she thought that I didn't love her. You stayed with Charlie once Dad died and his funeral passed. While I wanted you with me, I knew it would make our relationship stronger. But that wasn't what I wanted. I wanted to have you with me without the full commitment. You are too good for that.

After a joint ass kicking I received by Edward, Emmett, Quil, and Embry, I made plans to ask you to marry me. First, I had to heal from my well-deserved beating. Which I would and will take any time I am not treating you right. You need a man who will love you for who you are. Be your protector. I just wanted to be to your everything. I have always loved and wanted the best for you.

After much debate and planning, I decided to ask you to marry me at our little tree on the beach. I'd made you a fireside picnic dinner. I knew you liked simple. Nothing crazy. Just you, me and the quietness. I was grateful that the moon and the stars being out. Including the swan constellation.

We ate and chatted about things that came to our minds. The stars. The happiness that you felt about how well the community center was doing. What different families were up to and how their crops were coming along. Who the best hunters and gatherers were. I smiled at the love that you had for our Tribe. Our community.

You shivered. I brought a blanket, grabbing it wrapping it around your shoulders. Pulling you towards me. Kissing your hair, closing my eyes and taking in your beautiful calming lavender scent. Lavender makes me feel at home. At peace with myself and the world around me. I knew it was now or never. I knew I needed to make you mine. Make an honest woman out of you. After all, we had only been together for nearly ten years.

Nervous did not begin to describe how you made me feel. I played it off as being a little cool. I think you knew better. You have always been able to read me like a book. Better than I knew myself. I softly kissed your head, taking my left away from our embrace to get the ring and dessert I had brought for us. The small batch of cookies that said:

WOULD YOU MARRY ME MY BELLA? YES OR NO

Each word was its own cookie. I made sure they were your favorite cookies, sugar with vanilla frosting and purple, red and blue letters. And sprinkles.

I presented you the cookies and waited to see what you would say. You didn't notice them at first. You were too busy looking at the starlit night. I really had picked the perfect night to propose. I asked you what you were looking at and you pointed to one of the constellations. I laugh when I noticed it was the Swan. We talked about how you were my beautiful swan and you rolled your eyes at me.

I asked you if you wanted a cookie and you said yes. I handed you the plate, and you looked down and saw them. I stood up and then got down on one knee and presented the ring to you. You looked confused as I realized you might not be able to see the ring with me blocking the fire. I moved so that you could see it and you gasped putting your hand over your mouth. It was one of the cutest things you had ever done. And there were a ton of cute things in our lives.

All of a sudden, you started to cry. It really threw me off. Were these happy tears? Sad tears? Angry tears?

Then you got up, jumped up and down like a child smiling, laughing and crying. You seemed overly excited. Joyful.

"Isabella, you never answered my Question. Is that a yes or no?" I prayed it was a yes. I tried to keep a happy smile on my face.

You grabbed the yes cookie and gave it to me. It was the best day of my life up to that point. We hugged and danced. We kissed and cried happy tears. I put the ring on your finger, along with the wedding band because I wanted you to know that I wanted to be married to you as soon as possible. We took a few pictures for memories' sake. They looked alright with the fire behind us. The fire was starting to die down, so I took some water from the sea and put it out. Cleaning up our mess, we went back to my house. The house that would now be ours, if you chose it to be..

I feel that is all I can write for now. I am tired, my Love. Someday. Somehow. I am going to make it alright but not right now.

All my Love-

Jake

June 6th, 2065

Dearest Bella,

There are so many things that make me happy when I remember the time of our short but wonderful engagement. You had a smile on your face that would never die. Nothing made you upset or mad. You loved more than I knew how to. Showed strength that I did not know you possessed. Why strength? There were several that wanted to take us down. Making up rumors that were not true.

As you know, we chose to marry quickly. We had already been through a lot. As Chief, I wanted to have you as my partner and wife. You wanted a simple wedding. A simple bonfire, on the beach; preferably in the month of June. So, we invited all our friends and family to a bonfire and cookout. But we only told three people what the bonfire was for; the clerk who processed our marriage license, Old Quil who was officiating, and Charlie, who was walking you down the aisle. You had to have him there. I would not have wanted him anywhere else. I could not wait to have you as my beautiful wife. Isabella Marie Black.

While planning the wedding, I took lessons that looking back on I should have had with my Dad. I would always regret that I never had the chance to have that time with him. While both Old Quil and you were great teachers, nothing would have been better than learning from him. Father-son bonding time as a man that is so different from when I was a boy.

It was funny to watch you as we talked in Quileute. I never thought that as a Tribe we would be here. Going to Mrs. Joy's store, hearing mostly Quileute being spoken throughout the store. The community center billboard was in Quileute as well with only a few words in English. We accommodated some folks of Forks that wanted English as their first language. Which is fine.

We were getting everything ready for our wedding. We decided that I was going to wear a nice pair of khakis and a white short sleeved buttoned down shirt. I had no idea what you were going to wear, but I knew it would be perfect. Because you are perfect.

When the bonfire started, people thought it was odd that you were not there yet. I told everyone that you had forgotten something at the house. Which was true. You had to get dressed and get your Dad. I was beyond nervous. I wanted today to be perfect for you. Oddly enough, the Cullen women were are all missing in action as was Edward. Which was weird. Nobody was supposed to know. Not that I could be mad at you since Esme was in the office when we got our marriage license. Sneaky Cullen women! You later told me that Esme had taken you shopping with Alice, Rosalie, and Charlie to get your dress. You had no idea until it was too late. Poor Charlie. He was told to bring you to a bridal store in Port Angeles and didn't realize that he was staying. It was very nice of them to volunteer the Chief of Police. He must have loved that.

Old Quil called for attention to tell stories, and everyone sat down. He called my two best friends Quil and Embry to join him next to me. Old Quil told the legends of our people and talked of marriage. I heard the sounds of a camera clicking. Edward was taking pictures of the wedding. Yep. Cullen women are in control! That made people wonder what was going on until Old Quil talked about how a Chief needs his partner. Needs his life to have balance. The right partner will bring balance beyond what anyone could ask for. The wrong partner could bring misery. He spoke of past Chiefs and their wives. How each complimented each other in ways that helped the Tribe. Taha Aki and his third wife, my parents, Billy and Sarah.

Then Old Quil started talking about you and me. How we met as babies and had been best friends since. How we complimented each other and balanced each other out. I loved each thing that was said. The best part was when he announced our wedding asking for Charlie to bring you forward. When I saw Charlie walking with you, my heart stopped beating. You looked perfect. Like an angel walking towards me. The ivory dress was simple and elegant lace dress that went just past your knees that had a slight puff to it. A simple red sash around your waist. Perfect for you not to trip with. Simple and elegant for a beach wedding. You paired it with a simple matching vale the same color. A single large red dahlia was your bouquet. You walked barefoot towards me to our new life.

We said our sacred vows, all in Quileute. Our wedding was the first of many to have their ceremonies in Quileute. It was perfect and beautiful as the sun came down. Everyone celebrated us and our new life. We danced with our family and friends on the moon and starlit night. It was perfect. I was so excited to start my new life with you. My someday had finally come. I was the man I wanted to be. For you. For our Tribe. For our community. Having you beside me all those years had made my burden of being the Chief of the Quileute's less burdensome. You made me see the good in most situations. And when you couldn't, you stood beside me while we went through it.

The births of our children were some of the best days of my life. From our honeymoon came twin boys. I let you pick their names other than suggesting that we honor our dads somehow. When the boys were born, you asked to wait until a blessing ceremony could be performed for them as was Quileute culture. I cried with pride. The customary seven days passed, and we went to the Tribal Hall. How we were able to take the boys home from the hospital I have no idea to this day. I am grateful nonetheless. Godparents were chosen. Edward and Embry for Baby A and Quil and Alice for Baby B. During the Ceremony I stood with Old Quil as we blessed the boys. I was never more proud than I was that day. You must not have told anyone since it was just you that spoke their names.

"Chief Jacob Ephraim Black, may I introduce you to the newest members of the Quileute Tribe. Your sons. Future Chief Caleb William and his equally important brother Gabriel Charles. If they find favor in your eyes, please bless these sons."

There was not a dry eye in the place. You named our future Chief after the middle name of the man who had saved my life and allowed me to come home to you. How could I not love either name? Blessings these boys received!

It was common practice Quileute children to be unnamed for seven days. But the local government never liked waiting the seven days for the Naming Ceremony. I never told you how the Quileute Naming Extension came about. I spoke to local representatives about our customs and that we wanted to have a stay of grace with the local government when it came to naming our children.

After nearly six months, joining and then becoming the President of the Northwest Tribal Council based on this issue, The Quileute Naming Extension was signed into law. It allowed all Tribes not just ours to not have to pay fines for not immediately naming their children at birth but gave a grace period before they had to get their birth certificates. It gave Tribal parents up to thirty days after discharge from the hospital to get the children's name in the system. One of the other Tribes went up to three weeks from birth to their naming ceremony. It later became national. I was so proud that our tribe would forever be remembered. All because of you and our sons.

I did a lot of work while I was President of the Northwest Pacific Tribal Council. The council was impressed with your ability to turn our nearly dying language into one that was spoken throughout our county. You, the Cullen's, and the Tribes hard work made it so other Tribes joined suit and more classes where provided for those who wanted to learn the language. There was a boom in Native speakers and many learned other Tribe's languages too. It was truly a burst of pride when it was discovered that not me, but my beautiful wife and her wonderful friends who have zero Quileute blood in them had started this initiative. There was a national push to save our heritage and customs. More Tribes became aware that their communities could embrace them as Forks had us. We have truly been blessed as a Tribe and a family. I lead the Council as President for nearly sixteen years.

Four years later after our boys were born, we were blessed with a surprise pregnancy. While our hearts and home were full, the Spirits decided we needed more children. And more is what we got. Two more. I was excited and scared, but I knew that we would be alright.

This time we were blessed with daughters. And man, were they different from the boys. When we had the naming ceremony seven days later, we were still fighting over who was going to name them. Finally, Godfather of the year Edward decided that you should since you had picked awesome names for the boys.

Violet Grace and Sophia Marie were blessed to have Embry and Edward as God Fathers. You remember Quil had wanted to be there but his grandpa Old Quil was dying. He was excused. As was Alice if you remember. She and Jasper were adopting a sibling set from Russia. Ivan and Irena came home shortly after the Naming Ceremony.

Days, months and years went by. Our children grew and made lives for themselves. Remember when the boys tricked us into thinking they were going to start a bikini carwash business based on a movie so we would be happy they were going away for school? You about killed them. It was so funny! They had both received full ride scholarships. For Harvard. Like we would have said no to that?

The girls' didn't get full rides. They had to pay $1000 per year each to attend Yale. We were so excited! All four of our kids had been admitted to Ivy League schools! The money we saved for each of them went basically untouched. Remember that we had just paid for the girls' tuition out-of-pocket so they could have their money untouched? Every time tuition was due, several friends and family would help pay it. It was so funny!

When they all graduated they all came home. Caleb is a Lawyer. That actually was a smart move because he is able to make good changes to the Res. Any new laws that came into effect didn't need to be reviewed by a lawyer first, so it saved time and money. Gabriel became an Engineer. He ensures that the roads and all the buildings built to code and kept up to date. Again, this saves the Tribe money by not having to pay an outsider who most likely needed a hotel stay, maybe a flight and rental car.

Our daughters, became doctors. Violet became a Pediatrician and Sophia became a General Practitioner. They both work at the Tribal Clinic and were responsible for adding a small hospital here. They have done amazing things and have made our family and us nothing but proud.

Each of them married. Violet to Seth and Cara Clearwater's son Brian. Gabriel to Embry and Emily Call's daughter MacKenzie. Caleb to Quil and Claire's daughter Fiona. Sophia to a boy she met from Forks, Taylor Newton, Jessica Stanley, and Mike Newton's son. They have all blessed us with grandchildren. Fourteen in all. Our grandchildren have given us great-grandchildren too many to count and name. Our family is beyond blessed. Thank the Spirits.

Why am I writing all this you might ask? Because I love you. This has been our lives. We have been blessed beyond measure. With my recent health scare and yours, I wanted our story to be told. In my words. We have been married for fifty years tomorrow and I have known you for seventy-eight give or take a months. They have been the best years of my life. Anytime I could be with you, it has been my best blessing. Whether we were cooking, cleaning, yelling at the kids, fighting each other, making love, it was all the best.

Looking back on my life and our lives together, I'd only change two things. One, not going on as many deployments as I did and two, married you sooner. Other than those two things, I'd do it all again. You are the love of my life. My reason for existing. My everything. Thank you for your love, support, and strength. When the day comes that we will be no more, I pray we go together. We started this journey together, and that's how I want to end it. And when we die, I don't want a sad funeral. I want lots of laughter and dancing. Storytelling and music. I want a celebration of our lives. Knowing that we made a difference. That we were here. My best friend, my rock, and my wife.

Thank you for waiting for our Someday.

I love you Isabella Marie Swan Black.

With all my heart.

Yesterday.

Today.

Tomorrow.

And all eternity.

All my love-

Jacob Ephraim Black

June 10th, 2065

Obituary

Chief Jacob Ephraim Black January 14th, 1987 - June 7th, 2065

Isabella Marie "Swan" Black September 13th, 1986 - June 7th, 2065

On their fiftieth wedding anniversary, June 7, 2065, Quileute Chief Jacob and his beloved wife, Isabella "Swan" Black, were taken home by the Spirits. Together. Peacefully in their sleep. In true Swan-Black style. They had known each other all their lives. They loved and fought hard. They were a treasure to all who knew them. A Ceremony of The Chiefs will be held on June 14th at the Tribal Center. In lieu of flowers, please donate in their honor to the Tribal Center. Where we will dance, sing and tell stories. Just like they wanted. A show of what love can do. Even if it is someday.


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